‘Mad Men’ Season 6 Premieres in April; Season 7 Will Be the Last

Mad Men Season 5 proved to be the most polarizing in the show’s history to date (it even failed to snag a Golden Globe nod for Best TV Drama), but its themes of social, political and cultural upheaval – coupled with the emergence of modern domestic dissatisfaction – resonated with even the more critical viewers and fans.

AMC has announced that Mad Men S6 will premiere this year on Sunday, April 7th at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT, beginning (like S5) with a two-hour episode – written by head showrunner and creator Matthew Weiner – before it returns to the regular 10 p.m. ET/PT time slot on the 14th, with an episode that Hamm is directing.

Here are statements from the official press release:

“To be able to continue exploring the stories of these characters for a sixthseason is an amazing opportunity,” said Weiner. “We love mining this world andlook forward to bringing the audience stories that we hope will continue to both surprise and entertain them.”

“It is a calling card and a point of great pride for AMC to be the network home of’Mad Men,’ led by Matthew Weiner and his brilliant team,” said Charlie Collier, President and General Manager, AMC. “We can’t wait to shareseason six with the world and what better way to start than with a special two-hour premiere?”

“The success of ‘Mad Men’ is built on the exceptional artistry and imagination of Matthew Weiner, the cast, and the entire writing and producing team,” saidKevin Beggs, President, Lionsgate Television Group. “They continually strive to raise the bar and we look forward to bringing viewers another great season.”

Furthermore, during an interview with The Daily Beast, Weiner confirmed (again) that season 7 is going to be the last. He emphasized that having an end date was instrumental in shaping the overall narrative for S6 and that executive producers (and fellow showrunners) Maria and André Jacquemetton convinced him to not hold anything back for the final season; though, Weiner suspects he will “probably be painted into a corner by the end of the season,” but seems okay with the idea (in the public eye, anyway).

Weiner also confirmed the following:

Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) is returning in S6, but there’s no guarantee she’ll ever reunite with Don (professionally or personally, for that matter).

The final, cryptic, moments in the S5 finale are very important, in setting the stage for season 6. In fact, Weiner advises that viewers “just [re-watch] the last 10 minutes of Season 5 right before Season 6 starts.”

Peter Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) will NOT commit suicide this season, as Weiner admits the aura of despair – giving way to self-inflicted death – surrounding the character in S5 was “completely unconscious on my part.”

Lastly, Weiner says season 6 and 7 will have the most observable contemporary relevance of any seasons in the show to date:

“There’s always the intention to have it have something to do with the world we’re in right now. That’s only because I only can write from what I know. And for some reason or another, this season feels particularly related to where I feel that we are right now, as a country and as a society…There’s been a bit of a blow to our self-esteem. None of the economic realities of the ’60s, of any of the years that we’ve done the show, reflect what’s going on right now. It was really a boom time for the economy, for job creation, and American industry. But I think that the social order, the blow to our self-esteem and turning inward as we deal with the loss of something. The loss of our—now I’m being super-vague about it. I’m not prepared to talk about it.”

We’ll find out exactly what he means when Mad Men returns with its sixth season on April 7th, 2013, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

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Kevin7 2 years ago

Season 5 was one of my favorite seasons but for the life of me I can’t remember how it ended so I’ll have to be one of those who watch the last 10 minutes again.
I also really thought that the only ending for Pete would be suicide. The guy is just miserable. He has everything a person could want yet he’s never happy. Never.
Another reason I loved season 5… Betty was hardly seen. I hope that trend continues.

I still think that regardless of don’s womanizing he should have the kids. Not betty. God I have never seen such a moral less vacuous bimbo in my life. Although could Betty Draper be far off from January Jones in reality? The chick did mistake possible drunken flirting for an affair

that’s actually not true. in fact, Betty’s lawyer tells her that. It’s more true now, but at that time it was not. If the father wanted the kids, he got them. Don didn’t want custody, which is why Betty kept them.

I agree, to a point, re:kids. However, I think Betty’s just very insecure about nearly every choice she makes. It’s harder to come to terms that her biggest asset (beauty) wanes. I’ve gotta hunch that she may have been molested by her dad; and possibly Sally too. I felt a few scenes show some sexual hangups/confusion with both characters.

Just woke up, and got on my laptop, did my daily website check, saw the title of this article and ran around my house shouting “YES MAD MEN IS COMING BACK, MOM MAD MEN IS COMING BACK!” She doesn’t know what it is about or anything but, this has been the best news I have heard all day!

I love this show, it is my absolute favorite. I think Betty is gorgeous but perhaps abit unsettled but surprisingly honest. She is always herself and is sometimes moody, but understandably so. Don is so handsome and very complex and except for the extreme womanizing, he is a very likable and fairly decent man. The entire cast does a really good job. Peggy is different and a wonderful actress. She fits this show. I own seasons one thru 5 and cannot wait to see season 6 and own it also. I am sad that there will only be one more season after season 6. There are a lot of series on T.V. now that are quite interesting but Madmen is definitely one of the best.

Writers everywhere: proofread. Get someone to check your work for you before publishing.
You wrote: “…but proceeding what has been acknowledged as the penultimate season…”
PRECEDE means “to come before.”
PROCEED means “to move forward.”

Take pride in your work and make sure you’ve got everything right before you publish, otherwise no one will take you seriously.

I just got netfix and started to watch mad men, I am addicted! I have watched all the episodes. I AM SO SAD TO FIND OUT IT IS GOING OFF THE AIR.I feel like I am watching part of my own life, at 76 it is wonderful to look back, but also sad.

Oh! If you are 76, then the ’60s must be fairly clear in your memory.
I was born in ’59, so of course I was tiny then. Some of the things that come back to me are a few of the fashions, the car styles, and of course when we saw Betty Draper defrosting her freezer! My mom did it regularly, too.

AMC has announced that Mad Men S6 will premiere this year on Sunday, April 7th at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT, beginning (like S5) with a two-hour episode – written by head showrunner and creator Matthew Weiner – before it returns to the regular 10 p.m. ET/PT time slot on the 14th, with an episode that Hamm is directing.

I love this show but frustrated to hear so many people dissing Betty. She may be simple but her instability is fueled by the brainwashing she is getting from her lying, cheating husband. She is an emotionally fragile individual being told her life is perfect while deep down she knows something is terribly wrong.